From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A punch perm(パンチパーマ,panchi pāma
?) is a type of tightly permed male hairstyle in Japan that was
popular among yakuza (mafia),
chinpira (low-level mafia), bōsōzoku (motorcycle gang members), truck
drivers, construction workers, and enka singers, from the 1960s till the mid-1990s.
This hair style probably got its name from "needle punch
carpeting", a type of floor covering with a short and tightly
curled nap.

The punch perm began to fall out of usage as a result of its
general association with the yakuza, as well as normal fashion
trends. These days it is extremely rare to find anyone with a punch
perm, regardless of their affiliations.

Variations

A variation of the punch perm that is worn primarily by bōsōzoku
is called "aippa": both sides of the forehead are shaved to create
a cross between widow's peak, an afro, and an exaggerated sculpted early 1960s pompadour.

Another variant is the "iron perm". While a punch perm is
created with rollers and chemicals, an iron perm is created with a
heated curling iron. This hair style often involves singeing the
hair.